The Bet
by Rikku Shinra
Summary: Reno learns not to judge.


Ominous green clouds whirled above, their ghastly color illuminated by the lights of the remaining reactors. Sky blue drifted crossed the grotesque landscape, taking in the horrid machination that supplied Midgard with its life force. Unlike Junon, while plagued by hurricanes, monsoons, earthquakes Midgard was bleak and deceptive in his grace, a bastion of hope to those that wished for a better life. People are fair as Wutai, as north as Icicle Inn traveled to gain some fortune. Many failed, few rarely succeeded. Junon, even with her natural disasters fared better. Less crime, technological and scientific and as Rufus Shinra knew, better air quality.

Unlike Midgard, his beloved city built into the cliff side, home to a few million, not billions. The people where free, joyous even under his tutelage, compared to the squalor of Midgard. The few that remained in the underbelly always had a welcome place in the upper city; the mayor would be a welcome addition to the board of directors. Most of all he missed the seagulls. Oddly enough, the feathered bastards had tormented him repeatedly. Dark Nation also seemed a bit upset the feathered rats were not about she had nothing to chase.

The only thing that came close to the seagulls where Scarlet and Heidegger - their constant harping for funding, grated incisively on his nerves. He liked those birds a lot more than them. Yes, Rufus Shinra looked for longingly or some damned seagulls.

"Whoa!" A thud brought him back to the present. He turned back to this Turks; Tseng had fallen and now sat in the center of the halfpipe, Reno circling him as the redhead laughed. Elena glared at the red head while Rude just stood, stoic as normal. Tseng stood, walking off the halfpipe, skateboard in hand.

"Aww come on, Sir. It takes practice." Reno smiled cheekily his eyes bright and mirthful. His eyes landed on the blonde-haired person and he smiled. The little rich boy differently could not skateboard. "Boss, I'll make you a bet." Rufus looked up interest piqued. "If you can do an Ollie, I'll….I'll pay you 50 gill." Rufus raised an eyebrow.

"Fifty gil to each of us and you will buy us dinner." Reno weighted his options then nodded. "If I can't do it, I will pay you two hundred gil and dinner." Reno's eye widened. He shrugged off his jacket and rolled his sleeves up handing them to Tseng. With a smirk, Reno stepped of the halfpipe, board under his arm.

The President stepped on, left foot first. Reno shook his head, watching as the blonde-haired person started slowly gaining speed. "What's going on?"

The four glanced quickly to the newest arrival. It was a plain, petite girl no older than eighteen years with dark mousey hair, to large glasses and a horrible fashion sense. She smiled awkwardly at them, clutching the stack of folders in her arms closer as she gingerly held a cup carrier with two cups of coffee in a carryout. Reno smirked, "President Rufus is going to do an Ollie."

The girl nodded looking unimpressed as they turned back. The young blonde-haired person had managed to make it to the sides of the halfpipe. They watched as he came up to one of the sides, hesitated and went down the side, squatting low on the board his hand dragging beside him. The secretary smirked, "has such a show off. I hope no one made a bet for him to do an Ollie, it's such an easy trick." Elena bit her lip, Tseng smirked and Rude let out an uncharacteristic snort as the young President kicked the back of the board down, jumped and landed on the metal guard, grinding the board against it. Reno groaned as the other Turks started laughing.

"I like Wutain chicken Reno," Elena smiled at him. The President did not stop at the Ollie, as he quickly came to the other side, popping the back of the board down, the front lifting and he turned, landing on the top of the ledge. The secretary cheered, pounding her hand on the stack of papers while the other three Turks clapped. Reno leveled the young blonde-haired person with a glare.

Rufus jumped down, board handed off to Tseng. Reno eyed him warily, "I didn't know you could skateboard." The blond male smirked, grabbing a cup of coffee from the carrier.

"I also like double- doubles protein style, fries and a large chocolate milk shake. The restaurant is the one at the corner of Fifth Street and locust in sector 3." Reno quickly jotted the order watching their entourage leave, the secretary talking about the upcoming meeting. Reno groaned, trudging out of the park-like floor. Rufus never held long meetings and time was running out.

* * *

I own nothing, and I am sad about that. SO this has an OC in it and normally I don't do that, people may be out of character but normally no OC. I have plans for this girl, I like her, shes got a future. So I've always saw Junon as California, you know coastal...over priced and Midgard as New York - a dream but really its not easy to live there. So in this, Rufus is from Junon. Hes just lucky the only bit of home he came find is a hamburger joint (akin to California's In N Out.) Now I want a double double.


End file.
